This press release is very difficult to understand.  I've now read it 3 times and have come up with:

1. Byrnes was the student protection contact (and actual offender).

2. Lane was studying to be a student protection officer ("just a note-taker").

3. Hayes was the principal (in charge of the note-taker and Byrnes).

I gather that parents complained to her. She then told the Principal.  

.............."they (the children) didn't have the courage to come forward".

My opinion is that they didn't have courage to stop the offender in the first place and that is why the offence occurred.  Or perhaps in their innocence they didn't know there was an offence, due to being in the presence of someone of trust. In which case why would they report it.

However, the parents should have gone to the police. As should the Principal. 

An absolute disgrace by both parents and Principal in the non-reporting of the offence.

Above all, the despicable actions of the perpetrator.

AND this is only one case in this Royal Commission.

DEB

There are lots I don't understand.

How is it that THREE adults didn't go to the police. In particular, the most senior - the principle.

And how come the parent went to the teacher/aid/principle before taking the matter to the police. Wouldn't you go STRAIGHT to the police if it was your kids?

And I don't understand this: Another mother of an abuse victim said she and other parents were ostracised by the school community after they complained about the abuse, and how the school had dealt with their concerns.

So the parents of abused kids 'complain' to OTHER parents instead of the police?

And then OTHER parents had heard about it and they didn't report it either?

Quite frankly, the 'note taker' is in the company of a bunch of dimwits.